Machine for cleaning railroad-tracks



W. & J. THORN.

Car-Track Clearer.

Patented Jan. 29, 1840;

AM. PHOTO'LITHO.C0. N.Y.(OSBORNE'S PROCESS.)

WILLIAM THORN AND JAMES THORN, JR, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY. V

MACHINE FOR CLEANING RAILROAD-TRACKS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 1,483, dated January 29, 1840.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM THoRN and JAMES TI-IORN, Jr., of the town of Plainfield, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in removing obstructions from the tracks of railroads by means of an apparatus attached to and in front of the locomotive-engine and turned by the same, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a top view of the apparatus as attached to the front of the locomotive. Fig. 2, represents a side view.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the figures.

The nature of our improvement consists in placing a horizontal axle A a in front of the forward wheel B of the locomotive obliquely to the track 0, its ends turning in boxes supported by a light frame D attached to the locomotive and adjustable at pleasure horizontally or vertically by screws; on which axle is fixed a conical wheel E whose periphery is brought'against the flange of the front driving wheel of the locomotive, the friction between the two surfaces causing the conical wheel to revolve as the locomotive moves and there being fixed on the same axle circular scrapers F,

notched, fluted, or plain, and brushes, Whisks, or rubbers, G, for cleaning the track, these are also caused to revolve obliquely to the track. In front of and against the other front wheel of the locomotive on the opposite side is placed a similarly shaped conical wheel which turns similarly shaped scrapers f, and brushes, 9, in like manner and for the same purpose as those just described for cleaning the other rail of obstacles, (S screw for adjusting the apparatus horizontally (S screw for adjusting the apparatus vertically.

We do not claim to be the inventors of the revolving brushes for cleaning railroads, but what we do claim to have invented is- The before described mode of arranging the revolving brushes by placing them obliquely across the track and in combination therewith the method of communicating the power to the brushes by means of the flange on the front driving wheel acting on the conical wheel placed upon the axle-of each of the revolving brushes all as described.

WM. THORN. JAMES rnoan, JR.

Witnesses ZACHARIAH VVELIGTON, CORNELIUS Boron. 

